How greening a garage roof works – and what it achieves.
Since climate change and its consequences have become increasingly noticeable here in Central Europe, more and more people are looking for ways to make their own contribution to environmental and climate protection. One approach is the subsequent greening of previously ungreened areas. Which makes perfect sense. After all, it is well known that plants make a significant contribution to binding air pollutants and converting the greenhouse gas CO2 into solid carbon and the oxygen that is so important for all living things. Plants are therefore essential for our climate!
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Can green garage roofs help to counteract land sealing?
In fact, we humans are sealing more and more areas on which plants previously grew (between 50 and 70 hectares every day), thereby reducing their potential to protect the climate. It is therefore a very good idea to retrofit older garage roofs with greenery. Green garage roofs make a measurable (albeit not huge) contribution to climate protection through the plants growing on the roofs.
But green garage roofs can do much more!
The substrate and plant layer on a green garage also acts as a precipitation buffer (for example during heavy rainfall), thus relieving the burden on the sewer system and contributing to flood protection. In addition, the special mix of plants on a green garage roof also provides valuable retreats for fauna – especially in densely populated residential areas. In particular, valuable small creatures such as wild bees, beetles and many other insects find attractive habitats here. But green garage roofs are also important islands of life and survival for birds and lizards!
And how does the subsequent greening of an older garage roof work?
- First of all, it is crucial that the permissible roof load of the old garage is sufficient for the subsequent greening. This must always be checked in advance – by an expert (e.g. one of the ZAPF garage renovation experts).
- If the permissible roof load is sufficient, the structure of the old garage roof must also be checked (this is also done by the ZAPF garage renovation expert) and any existing structural damage repaired.
- Once the structure is intact (and/or renovated), the actual green roof structure can be applied to the carefully cleaned flat concrete roof with surrounding edge: The ZAPF experts apply a total of 5 layers (from bottom to top): 1. protective and storage fleece, 2. lateral gravel layer (at the edge of the structure), 3. drainage layer, 4. filter fleece and 5. vegetation mats.
You can read all the details on the subpage for greening garage roofs on old garages!
The vegetation mats are the heart of the garage roof greening system
These special vegetation mats are 5 – 6 cm thick and the plants take root in the substrate layer they contain. This is where they are supplied with the life-giving liquid from the rainwater that seeps through. The layer must therefore store the water in certain quantities – but at the same time be able to release excess water (e.g. in the event of extremely heavy rainfall) in good time and little by little.
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